Transverse flow type blowers



Oct. 22, 1963 1-. HELMBOLD 3,107,345

' TRANSVERSE FLOW TYPE BLOWERS Filed March 20, 1961 s SheetS-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR THEODOR HELMBOLD ATTORNEYS Oct. 22, 1963 1-. HELMBOLD 3,107,845

TRANSVERSE now TYPE BLOWERS Filed March 20, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 71/500019 //z 07504 0 ATTORNEYS Oct. 22, 1963 -r. HELMBOLD 3,107,845

TRANSVERSE FLOW TYPE BLOWERS Filed March 20, 1961 :s Sheets-Sheet 3 [N VEN TO 43' THEDOOR HELMadILd' KM, Me M A TTOR/VE Y6 United States Patent 3,1h7,845 TRANSVERSE FLOW TYPE BLOWERS Theodor Helmnold, Hedwigstrasse 4, Munich 2, Germany Filed Mar. 20, 1961, er. No. 96,953 Claims priorit application Germany Apr. 8, 1960 15 Claims. (ill. 230-125) This invention relates to transverse flow type blowers of the type with guided potential whirl forming in the interior of the blower rotor.

The operational effect of transverse flow type blowers, on the one hand, is attributed to the effect of the blower blades accelerating the air stream in a certain direction. The accelerated stream arising in such a way essentially flows on one side along the rotational axis of the blower rotor and leaves the blower wheel at the side opposite to the entrance. On account of this theory, transverse flow type blowers have been constructed in which the interior of the blower rotor, except for the chamber necessary for the passage of the air stream, is filled with stationary bodies.

On the other hand, transverse flow type blowers are known in which a potential whirl or whirling mass of the supplied medium is formed within the interior of the blower rotor and at one side thereof by the rotating blower blades. The potential whirl in its interior region is located between the rotor rotation axis and the annular path of movement of the blower blades substantially midway between the blower inlet and outlet in the direction of rotation of its rotor and guides the supplied medium through the blower by preventing substantial radially inward flow of the supplied medium between the blades. The development and maintenance of this potential whirl absorbs a considerable portion of the energy supplied to the rotor. It has previously been suggested to replace the energy consuming whirl core at least partially by stationary bodies within the blower rotor.

On the other hand, it is known to avoid said whirl core displacement by applying the stream towards said whirl core. Blowers have also been constructed without any stationary bodies within the blower rotor. With this construction the position of the whirl core is only infinanced by an additional stream correspondingly directed. The medium necessary for generating the additional directed stream is generally branched oil the outlet of the blower.

Previously suggested constructions of transverse flow type blowers have the disadvantage that the potential whirl necessary for the functioning of the blower has no stable position. This produces noisy runnning of the blower. In addition the maintenance of the whirl core, especially when it moves into contact with the rotating blower blades, absorbs considerable energy unproduc tively.

In some blowers a back stream, towards the inlet channel appears at a throttle section within the outlet channel, whereby a second potential whirl, rotating in the same direction as the blower rotor is formed within the rotor at its side diametrically opposite to the first potential whirl, that is, substantially midway between the outlet and inlet respectively in the direction of blower rotor rotation. When unstabilized, the second potential whirl has the same undesirable noise generating and unproductive energy absorbing characteristics as the first.

The object of this invention is to provide transverse flow type blower which avoids the above disadvantages.

The present invention as illustrated in the embodiment of FIGURE 1 accordingly consists of a transverse flow type blower so constricted that a guided potential whirl is permitted to form in the interior of the blower rotor, and characterized in that, within the interior of the blower 3,107,845 Patented Oct. 22, 1963 rotor at the region substantially midway between inlet channel and outlet channel, there is arranged an essentially trough-shaped guiding body adapted in form on its inner face to the exterior contour of the first above described potential whirl to maintain that potential whirl in a substantially fixed position both radially and circumferentially of the rotor relative to its axis.

In order to avoid the whirl favouring the back stream and to reduce noise within the region between the blower outlet and inlet in which the direction of the stream through the rotor blades reverses from outflow to inflow, according to a feature of the invention, a further guiding body is provided in the interior of the blower rotor within the region approximately opposite to said first mentioned guiding body, that is, in the region of the second above described potential whirl. In this way, as the rotor blades are rotated from the outlet toward the inlet, the space between adjacent blades of the rotor is covered for a short time to minimize flow between the blades. Experiments have shown that a rod-shaped potential whirl is formed rotating in opposite direction to the blower rotor, which potential whirl by the presence of the second guiding body according to the invention, is maintained in its position and avoids the back stream of the supplied medium flowing from the outlet toward the inlet in the direction of rotor rotation.

These guiding bodies are arranged at opposite sides of the rotational axis of the blower rotor a small distance from the blade screen or case of the rotor. The extent of the faces of the guiding bodies adjacent and parallel to the blower rotor are dimensioned in such a way that at least one section of the blades arranged in the blower rotor is covered, that is, these surfaces are of such arcuate extent that they arcuately span the space between at least an adjacent pair of rotor blades.

At its outer circumference the blower rotor can also be covered by the exterior part of the housing within the arcuate region essentially corresponding to the interior covering of the rotor cage by the guiding bodies.

In this manner the supplied medium flowing through the blades absolutely stops, when the blade and space bewcen the blades, is passing the guiding body, whereby energy-consuming whirls tending to develop are stopped in their development at the boundary layer of the blades. The face of the guiding body adjacent the above described potential whirls, which develop during the operation of the blower, is preformed according to the invention, such that it is adapted in its form to the exterior contour of the whirl so that the'whirl is kept in its position by the trough-shaped face of the guiding body, the center of the arcuate surface substantially coinciding with the center of the potential whirl. Furthermore, the guiding body according to the invention prevents direct contact between the potential whirl and the rotating blade screen or cage at the region of its maximum approach to same. By this arrangement the otherwise existent extreme and energy-consuming contact between the whirl core and the blade screen is avoided.

The lateral faces of the guiding body are preferably directed parallel to the direction of flow of supplied medium passing within the region of the inlet and outlet along the guiding body.

In the same way, the guiding body at its side near to the rotational axis of the blower rotor can be provided with two parallel guiding troughs arranged side by side. This produces two smaller potential whirls giving to the passing medium a greater stream cross section than does a single larger potential whirl.

To improve the guiding of the potential whirl a cylindrical body is preferably arranged freely and driven rotatably within the region of the trough formed by the guid- 3 ing body, preferably coaxial with the center of curvature of the trough.

Ibis cylindrical body must be supported in (an easy running manner and forms, to a certain degree, the core of and is rotated by the potential whirl. This cylindrical body can be positively driven from an external power source in the same direction as the direction of rotation of the potential whirl.

In certain applications where economy is essential, the guiding body can also have a simple profile, e.g. angleor T-profile with reasonably good results. In this case, one leg of the angle-profile or the base part of the T-profile, serves as noise reducing covering arranged at a small distance from the inner contour of the blower wheel. For guiding the whirl a flat material or the like can also be arranged.

According to a further feature of the invention, the guiding body, the outer covering of the blower rotor arranged correspondingly to the guiding body, and the cylindrical body rotatably arranged within the core of the potential whirl for regulating the transverse flow type blower, may be mounted for angular adjustment above the rotation axis of the blower rotor individual or together.

In order to prevent lateral flow along the ends of the guiding parts covering plates are provided extending approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the guiding parts. These covering plates can be located at the end of each guiding body or circular covering plates may be provided extending between the ends of both guiding bodies.

Transverse flow type blowers constructed according to the present invention can be used in series. When so arranged, the whirl supported by the second guiding body additionally acts as a back flow throttle. This permits arrangement of several transverse flow type blowers in Series as a multi-stage blower such that their rotational axes lie in a common plane, and the supplied medium is fed in an essentially constant direction.

On the other hand, several transverse flow type blowers, according to the invention, can be arranged around a cylindrical body at the same distance from the mis thereof. Said cylindrical body can be driven in the same or opposite direction to the blower rotors. If the cylindrical body is driven in the same direction as the lower rotors, there can be provided covering parts within the region of the maximum approach of the body to the concerning blower rotor, which covering parts serve as improved flow guides.

The cylindrical rotating body itself can be constructed as an electric-motor or incorporate same, whereby a spacesaving construction of the blower is achieved.

Transverse flow type blowers, es ecially multi-staged ones, need a certain region of operation condition, within which same are operating exactly, i.e. there must be given a certain throughput for enabling the delivery under a favorable degree of efiiciency. For enabling an exact operation at a small throughput a back stream channel or gap between inlet and outlet channel can be provided. This back stream gap is also of advantage for correct starting of the blower. The cross section of said back stream channel can he changed according to each operationcondition.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which show several examples of transverse flow type blowers embodying and illustrating the foregoing principles of the present invention wherein corresponding parts throughout the several embodiments have been assigned like reference numerals with differing letter suffixes and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view of one embodiment of transverse flow type blower;

FIGURE 2 is a transverse cross section of another embodiment of transverse flow type blower;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view 'of still a further embodiunent of a transverse blower according to the present invent-ion;

FIGURE 4 is a transverse cross section of another embodiment of transverse flow type blower;

FiGURE 5 is a cross sectional view showing several transverse flow type blowers according to the invention assembled as a multi-stage blower, the individual blowers of which are arranged in one plane, and

FIGURE 6 is a cross sectional view showing another embodiment of multi-stage blower.

In FIGURE 1 there is shown a transverse flow type blower, within the bladed blower rotor 1 of which is arranged a guiding body 2. The guiding body 2 is troughshaped at its side 4 adjacent the rotational axis of the blower rotor 1 as established by rotor shaft 3. The outermost face 5 of said guiding body 2 adjacent path of rotation of the inner ends of the blades of the blower rotor 1 lies a small distance from and is essentially parallel to the inner contour of the blower rotor 1 as defined by the inner ends of its blades. The lateral faces 6 and 7 of the guiding body 2 are approximately parallel to the stream of the supplied medium passing along said faces in the inlet and outlet channels respectively. The blower rotor 1 is covered by an exterior face 8 over an arcuate extent approximately corresponding to the arcuate extent of the covering surface 5 of the guiding body 2.

FIGURE 2 shows another embodiment of the invention, in which a guiding body 2a provided within a blower rotor 1a is mounted between a pair of links Qa pivoted upon the shaft 3a of the blower rotor 1a. Connected between said links 9a is also an exterior guiding part 13a. Within the region of the center of curvature of the trough formed on the surface of the guiding body 2a adjacent shaft 3 there is provided a freely rotatable cylindrical body 11a also guided by and rotatably mounted upon the adjustable link 90. The shaft 3a of the blower rotor 1a is surrounded by an easily rotatable hollow cylinder 12a. The body 11a forms the core of the potential whirl between the outlet and the inlet and co-acts with the trough of body 2a to stabilize the potential whirl. By pivotal adjustment of links 9a the axis of the potential whirl can be adjusted circumferenti-ally about shaft 3 between the outlet and inlet for optimum results.

FIGURE 3 shows a further embodiment in which a 16. Guiding body 2b is provided with two adjacent parallel running troughs 13b and 14b for establishing and guiding two smaller potential whirls lying side by side. The body 2b can be substituted for the bodies 2 or 2a in blowers illustrated in FIGURES l and 2 respectively. In operation, a potential whirl or vortex forms over each trough 13b and 14b as compared to the formation of a single vortex formed on guiding body 2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 shows a transverse flow type blower, within the blower rot-or lc of which are arranged two troughshaped guiding bodies 20 and 15a. The guiding bodies 2c and 15c are trough-shaped at their sides is and 6:: respectively adjacent the shaft 3. The outermost sides 5c and 1-6:: respectively, of the guiding bodies 20 and are parallel to the inner contour of the blower rotor 10 and are of such arcu-ate extent as to at least span the space between adjacent pairs of blades arranged within the blower rotor 1c. how of the supplied medium throughthe rotor blades at the transition regions between inflow and outflow and the surfaces 60 and 4c are for-med about the axes of the cores of the above described first and second potential whirls to stabilize the circumferential and radial positions of these potential whirls within the rotor 1c and prevent movement thereof into the path of the rotor blades. End discs 17c and 18c respectively, with regard to the stream, form the axial end of the trough-shaped guiding bodies,

and prevent lateral flow of the supplied medium over the ends of bodies 20 and 150.

FIGURE 5 shows a multistage transverse flow type The surfaces 5c and prevent blower consisting of three blower rotors 1d, 12 and if. The rotors are arranged in series with the rotation axes of their respective shafts 3d, 3e and 3f lying in a common plane. The three blower rotors 1d, 1e and 1] are surrounded by a common housing 26d providing a straight line supply. Each of the blowers is of substantially the same form as the blower shown in FIGURE 4. The guiding bodies 2d, 26 and 2) and 15:1, 150 and 15 within the rotors 1d, 12 land 1 respectively can be bordered by and mounted between circular end supporting discs 39d, 19c and 19 either at their ends or along the ength of the blower rotors between the same.

FIGURE 6 shows a three-stage transverse flow type blower, each of the three blower rotors l g, 1h and 11' being arranged parallel to and at the same distance from the axis of a cylindrical body Ztlg lying between same. The cylindrical body 26g can be rotatably mounted and driven and can incorporate an electric drive motor (not shown). Said motor can drive at the same time the blower rotors 1g, 1h and 11'. Within the region of maximum approach between the cylindrical body 20g and each of the blower rotors 1g, 1h and 11 the-re are provided covering parts 21g, 2111 and 211 extending at least over one blade section of the associated blower rotor. A web 24g serves as partition between inlet channel 22g and outlet channel 23g and its part 25g adjacent the rotating cylindrical body 20g is adjustable for varying the size of the cross section of the back stream gap between the rotating body Zug and the web 243 to permit adjustment for most efficient operation at low flow and improve the starting conditions as explained above. Thus fluid enters blower rotor 11g through inlet 22g and is advanced thereby to blower 1h which further advances the fluid to blower 11'.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A transverse flow type blower comprising means providing a fluid inlet channel and a fluid outlet channel, a bladed blower rotor disposed between said channels and in the region thereof, said rotor being rotatable in a predetermined direction to convey fluid from said inlet channel to said outlet channel, means for forming and guiding a potential whirl within the interior of said rotor and comprising an essentially trough-sha=ped guiding body disposed within said rotor between said blades of said rotor and said whirl and being operable to maintain said whirl in :a substantially fixed region within said rotor both radially and circumferentially with respect to the rotor rotational axis.

2. The transverse blower defined in claim 1 wherein said guiding body is provided with an inwardly directed whirl guide surface conforming to the exterior contour of said whirl.

3. The transverse blower defined in claim 2 comprising a further guiding body disposed within said rotor diametrically opposite from said trough-shaped guiding body and being operable to position and stabilize a whirl.

4. The transverse blower defined in claim 2 wherein the exterior face of said guiding body is arcuate and is spaced by a relatively small uniform distance from the rotational 6 path of the radially inner edges of the blades of said rotor, the arcuate extent of said exterior face being at least equal to the circumferential spacing between adjacent blades of said rotor.

5. The transverse blower defined in claim 2 wherein the inwardly directed face of said guiding body is laterally displaced with respect to the exterior face of said guiding body.

6. The transverse blower defined in claim 1 wherein said guiding body is formed with an interior face having two: adjacent parallel troughs.

7. The transverse blower defined in claim 2 comprising discs mounted on said guiding body at the ends thereof and extending substantially in perpendicular relation to said body.

8. The transverse blower defined in claim 1 comprising a cover disposed exteriorly of said blower rotor and covering the periphery of said blower rotor substantially throughout the same arcuate region as the interior thereof which is covered by said guiding body.

9. The transverse blower defined in claim 1 comprising a cylindrically shaped element rotatably mounted about the axis of said rotor radially inwardly of said guiding body and cooperating therewith to stabilize said whirl.

10. The transverse blower defined in claim 9, wherein said element is hollow and said rotor comprising a drive shaft extending freely through said element and being rotatable relative thereto.

11. The transverse blower defined in claim 1 comprising means mounting said guiding body for pivotal adjustment about the rotational axis of said rotor.

12. A multi-stage transverse flow type blower comprising a plurality of transverse flow type blowers each having fluid inlet and outlet channels, a bladed rotor disposed between said channels, and being rotatable in a predetermined direction to convey fluid from said inlet channel to said outlet channel and means for forming and guiding 1 a potential whirl within said rotor including at least one essentially trough-shaped guiding body disposed between the blades of said rotor and said whirl and being operable to maintain said whirl in a substantially fixed region within said rotor both radially and circumferentially with respect to the rotor rotational axis, said blowers being arranged in a single row to serially convey fluid irorn one end of the row to the other.

13. A ttnulti-stage transverse flow type blower comprising cylindrical body means and a plurality of serially disposed transverse flow type blowers arranged in triangular fashion around and in uniformly spaced relation to said cylindrical body means, each of said blowers having fluid inlet and outlet channels, a rotatable bladed rotor disposed between said channels and being operable to convey fluid from said inlet channel to said outlet channel and means for fiorming and guiding a potential whirl within within said rotor for guiding and positioning said whirl.

14. The ntulti-stage blower defined in claim 13 comprising means rotatably mounting said cylindrical body means. 15. The multi-stage blo'wer defined in claim 14 wherein said cylindrical body means is an electric motor.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,942,773 Eck June 28, 1960 2,968,436 Coester Jan. 17, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 559,024- Belgium Jan. 6; 1958 

1. A TRANSVERSE FLOW TYPE BLOWER COMPRISING MEANS PROVIDING A FLUID INLET CHANNEL AND A FLUID OUTLET CHANNEL, A BLADED BLOWER ROTOR DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID CHANNELS AND IN THE REGION THEREOF, SAID ROTOR BEING ROTATABLE IN A PREDETERMINED DIRECTION TO CONVEY FLUID FROM SAID INLET CHANNEL TO SAID OUTLET CHANNEL, MEANS FOR FORMING AND GUIDING A POTENTIAL WHIRL WITHIN THE INTERIOR OF SAID ROTOR AND COMPRISING AN ESSENTIALLY TROUGH-SHAPED GUIDING BODY DISPOSED WITHIN SAID ROTOR BETWEEN SAID BLADES OF SAID ROTOR AND SAID WHIRL AND BEING OPERABLE TO MAINTAIN SAID WHIRL IN A SUBSTANTIALLY FIXED REGION WITHIN SAID ROTOR BOTH RADIALLY AND CIRCUMFERENTIALLY WITH RESPECT TO THE ROTOR ROTATIONAL AXIS. 